Best Father’s Day Gifts of 2023

Dads: As old as the hills, rustic as the smell of gasoline — or maybe just that guy who taught you 782 different ways to make spaghetti with butter and parmesan. When Father’s Day rolls around and it’s time to honor your dad, you may find yourself thumbing through the gift rack at the mall, vacantly searching for another printed tie. But never fear: whatever sort of father you’ve got, we have the gift picks that will get your dad as excited as the day he got his first bicycle. 

Because no father is the same, we included a wide variety of gifts on this list. We have gifts for the artistic, the outdoorsy, the techy, and the tabletop gamer. We made sure that every item on this list is something we can stand behind. Many are items we own and love, and others we’ve thoroughly vetted. Whatever your pick, you’ll be sure to land something special.

— Best for the Home Chef: Saveur Selects Tri-ply Stainless Steel 10-Inch Frying Pan with Lid
— Best for the Outdoorsy Dad: Black Diamond Storm 400
— Best for the Tabletop Gamer Dad: Wingspan
— Best for the American-Made Dad: 118 Products: Hiker’s Backpack
— Best for the Artistic Dad: Grovemade Pencil Kit
— Best for the Musical Dad: Orba by Artiphon
— Best for the Beach-Loving Dad: Rumpl Everywhere Towel
— Best for the Dad Who Commutes: Troubadour Bag
— Best for the New Father: Panasonic Baby Monitor
— Best for the Handy Dad: Arrow Shed
— Best to Keep Tabs on Dad: ElliQ
— Best for the Diver Dad: Garmin Marine Quatix 7 Series

Best Father’s Day Gifts of 2023: Reviews and Recommendations

Best for the Home Chef: Saveur Selects Tri-ply Stainless Steel 10-Inch Frying Pan with Lid

Key Selling Point: So much more than just a simple frying pan, it's a bonafide kitchen workhorse.

Carbon steel is having a bit of a moment, but when all is said and done, nothing beats a solidly built stainless-steel pan. It's the go-to vessel for cooking "fancy" stuff. Why? The way this pan conducts heat, of course. The induction-ready bottom is thick 18/10 steel, which is known far and wide for its heat retention, whether you prefer cooking on open flame, electric, or induction. With 10 inches of cooking space, it's ready for everything from pan-frying veggies to searing a well-marbled rib-eye steak. Plus, because it comes with a lid, you can even do some braising, either on the stove or in the oven. The handle is even heat-resistant to a point with its non-slip textured grip. All in all, the perfect gift for the dad who likes to pull off impressive feats in the kitchen.

Best for the Outdoorsy Dad: Black Diamond Storm 400

Key Selling Point: Black Diamond makes headlamps that are reliable enough for years of use, and bright enough to justify leaving the Maglight at home. 

When I bought my Black Diamond, the salesperson told me that they’d worn theirs around the world; flash to now and I can say the same thing. I’ve traveled with mine on multiple backpacking trips and relied on it for endless nights of camping. 

This simple headlamp is made right. Running on four AAA batteries, the Black Diamond features a bright LED lamp that emits up to 400 lumens on its highest setting. Brightness is easily adjusted by holding the on/off button. The stretchy band keeps the light consistently fastened onto your forehead, where it angles with a clicking mechanism. The Storm series comes with strong IP67 water and dust proofing that ensures it will keep glowing, even if your dad takes a spill from the kayak. This is a great gift for any dad who loves solid camping gear, or outdoors adventuring, but also distinguishes itself as a great headlamp for any hobbyist who works on precise projects and could use some extra illumination — such as car mechanics or model-train builders.

Best for the Tabletop Gamer Dad: Wingspan

Key Selling Point: The runaway-hit tabletop board game that will have your dad spotting grebes and purple gallinules everywhere he goes — bird up.

Can you distinguish a cormorant from a merganser? Perhaps you wouldn’t think you’d care to; but that’s subject to change with Wingspan. Wingspan is the sensational tabletop board game that has you collect birds and pair them to create the most productive habitat. With 170 lavishly illustrated bird cards that each include game mechanics and powers related to that bird’s real-world traits, Wingspan is both a birder’s dream game, and one of the most compelling and addictive engine-building strategy games out there. Play birds in the forest, grasslands, or wetlands, collect food, lay eggs, and accumulate a flock. The game usually takes one to three hours, and can be played with up to five people, or alone. There’s also an app version, for those who’d rather bird on their tablet or computer. It should be stated that I am completely addicted, as are my dad and mom — so this one comes with the highest personal recommendation. 

Best for the American-Made Dad: 118 Products: Hiker’s Backpack

Key Selling Point: From their home in North Carolina, this all-American-made store delivers exceptional-quality niche goods.

Perhaps most famous for their line of handmade raw selvedge denim created in the original home of Levi’s denim, White Oak Mill in North Carolina, Hudson's Hill delivers exceptional American-made goods. This Hiker’s Backpack is a classic Americana piece that’s as reliable as the aesthetics it was modeled on. Made of original 1940s U.S. Army tent duck fabric, the backpack is durable and classic. It’s finished with leather, metal hardware, and cotton military webbing. It’s a perfect daypack for a dad who likes to get away into the hills for the afternoon, but makes just as good of a gift for a father who totes their sketch pad and watercolors wherever they go. 

Best for the Artistic Dad: Grovemade Pencil Kit

Key Selling Point: This pencil kit is as distinguished as it is high quality.

The shine of light on compressed graphite — there’s something ineffable about a pencil drawing. Any artist will appreciate a great pencil set, whether they’re sketching from Caravaggios at the National Gallery, or doodling in the margins of memos at work. The Grovemade Pencil Kit is a statement piece. The collection features 12 top-quality cedar Blackwing pencils, a beautiful walnut stand, and an aluminum sharpener outfitted with a German steel blade. Even after dad gets through the 12 included pencils, the sharpener and pencil stand makes for a striking addition to their desk that will last them a lifetime. 

Best for the Musical Dad: Orba by Artiphon

Key Selling Point: This electronic instrument looks like a miniaturized Hang drum, but functions as a highly capable midi controller that’s as fun as it is powerful. 

Electronic instruments are getting more and more varied. The Orba by Artiphon is one of the most fun digital midi controllers we’ve seen on the market. This small spherical controller interacts with your computer’s electronic music software in novel ways, working as a synth, looper, and midi controller that pairs touch buttons, with tilts, shakes, and bumps, for a truly reactive musical device. Pairing with the Orba app, it’s intuitive enough to make a good gift, yet powerful enough to make a strong addition to any serious musician’s arsenal.

This is a great novelty piece for a musical dad that already seems to have everything in their collection, that’s fun enough for a casual musician, and portable enough for a musician on the road. All in all it’s a great electronic music piece for anyone who’s musically inclined. 

Best for the Beach-Loving Dad: Rumpl Everywhere Towel

Key Selling Point: This bright microfiber towel is just as good for beach days in the sun as it is for packing into your dad’s next camping trip.

A splash of color for the beach paired with hyper-absorbent microfiber that folds down to a tiny size: the Rumpl Everywhere Towel is the perfect accompaniment to days by the water. Designed to nod to the aesthetics of the 1960s and 1970s, this is a towel you can’t miss. Because microfiber is so absorptive, these towels also make great outdoor products for backpackers, and fold up to slip into a daypack’s side pocket. The Rumpl is a great gift for any dad gearing up for a summer spent on the beach or messing about on boats.

Best for the Dad Who Commutes: Troubadour Bag

Key Selling Point: This vegan leather travel bag is understated and elegant; its laptop pocket will make sure he keeps his things protected.

Sometimes the best gifts are those for travel. The Troubadour Bag is a deeply stylish travel bag with a European sensibility. The bag is designed with clean lines, excellent quality materials, and all the right pockets. It nails the elements needed in a bag meant for travel. Even the name Troubadour denotes the intended use, this is a bag for those on the move. If you’re looking for gifts for him, you can’t get classier than the Troubadour.

Best for the New Father: Panasonic Baby Monitor

Key Selling Point: This baby monitor is a wonderful tool for any new parent who wants to keep tabs on their newborn.

Good tech gear can make your life as a parent so much easier. Need a movie night but want to keep tabs while the baby sleeps? The Panasonic Baby Monitor is a powerful and secure baby monitor system that ensures you can keep an eye on your sleeping infant from anywhere in the home. This discreet camera comes with multiple points of control, allowing you to pan, zoom, and tilt. It also streams night vision, and sends you alerts if the baby wakes or calls out. Unlike so many home camera systems, Panasonic uses a secure DECT network to transfer video, so that no one can connect to the camera without the included screen. The system also has the capability to expand to four cameras for growing families. 

Best for the Handy Dad: Arrow Shed

Key Selling Point: This steel outdoor tool shed makes a perfect workshop or storage space for the handy dad who likes to keep his tools and equipment close.

Ready for mechanics, carpenters, gardeners, wood workers, or even perhaps… fletchers… the Arrow Shed is an easily assembled steel shed that’s perfect for your handy dad. Shipping with a gable roof that ensures water will roll off, a finished rust-resistant exterior, and 43 square feet of storage, the shed is further accessorized with numerous add-ons, including various shelving kits. The 8 x 6 foot shed ships at 189 pounds, so be sure that you have the space and power to assemble it before you buy.

Best to Keep Tabs on Dad: ElliQ

Key Selling Point: An excellent tool for aging parents, ElliQ keeps parents connected to family with photos, enables them to easily book appointments and interact with the web, and interacts with them throughout the day in a friendly way.

Part motivational tool, part interactive digital personality, part connectivity hub, ElliQ is a great tool for the aging parent. Filling many of the roles of an iPad and Alexa, ElliQ is a home companion that helps older adults who might live alone navigate their days and the wider world. ElliQ can be used to book rides, schedule appointments, upload photos, send messages, and video call. It also interacts, telling jokes, spinning trivia, and engaging in small talk. If your dad is living alone this father’s day consider ElliQ as a means to help him navigate his world and keep him company. 

Best for the Diver Dad: Garmin Marine Quatix 7 Series

Key Selling Point: This admiral-grade smartwatch is equipped with all the features a boat enthusiast needs. 

If you’re after unique gifts for your seafaring dad, then look no further than the Garmin Marine Quatix 7 Series. This admiral-grade smartwatch is decked out with all the features he’ll need for fooling around on boats. With a silicone band and a crystal face, the watch is sturdy, and is rated for 10 atmospheres of pressure (100 meters). The watch has a battery life of 6 days in always-on mode, and up to 16 days in normal mode. 

The Garmin’s controls are easy to operate, and you’ll want them to be with such a host of digital features. The watch is capable of standard smartwatch tasks, such as sending and receiving texts, as well as heart rate monitoring, however, it shines on the water. The watch uses multi-band frequency support that allows it to sync with multiple navigation satellite systems beyond GPS, such as Galileo, keeping dad on track in isolated areas where GPS doesn’t penetrate. This feature syncs beautifully with the Quatix’s stunning array of maps, including freshwater maps of the United States, global coastal maps, topography, ski slopes, and golf course maps. Beyond maps, the watch connects to multiple systems on your boat, allowing you to monitor wind, and water depth, set waypoints, and even operate autopilot.

With so many features the Garmin Marine will be a beloved tool for any water enthusiast, whether a surfer pairing it with digital surf gear, a diver checking maps underwater, or a captain steering their boat across the Sargasso Sea.

Final Thoughts

Father’s Day is a great chance to honor our dads with something special. Whatever you choose, personalized gifts are sure to be a hit: that might be a gift to augment their musical chest of curiosities, such as the Orba by Artiphon. A Hiker’s Backpack made of classic American-made materials is a great choice for those who appreciate quality craftsmanship. We recommend Wingspan for the father who has an interest in games or birds; we think it’s a great gift for anyone who wants to bring the whole family together. The Black Diamond is an excellent choice for a gift for a dad who likes to spend his time outdoors, while the pricey Garmin Marine Quatix 7 Series is the best gift for the dad who’s dedicated to boating. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that you’re excited about giving, it doesn’t have to be expensive to be good, it just needs to be special, in the end that’s the most important part of father’s day — building your relationship with your dad.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.